The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-06-16
The Burning Of Phoenix Row.

awakened by his wife who said she had heard rats
running about. the cracking flames resembling
that sound. Mr.. Peavey learning the condition of
affairs raised his window and gave the alarm The
engines Immediately took position, No in Gus
tom House square and No. ., near the Court House.
The block Was four stories high in the rear, and
when the engines got to playing two streams each
the water hardly reached above the roof. The
block contained six tenements, with brick wall 1i
viding each and extending from the basement to
the roof. The roof was slated but wooden cutters
extended along the caves the whole length of the
block, front and rear
THE OCCUPANTS OF THE 81 GCK
The first tenement was owned ant, occupied by
Mr. Mark Andrews, wholesale and retail dealer in
ready made clothing, furnishing goods, &C. His
mother occupied rooms above
The second tenement was owned by the heirs of
the late Prescott Hazeltinc. 1t was occupied on
the first floor by Haugh & Carter's saloon Above
and in front was the Office OF Chas. p. Hazel
tine. The remainder of the rooms were unoccupi
cd but contained articles belonging to the Hazel
tine estate.
The third tenement was owned and occupied by
Mr.. d. II. Peavey, dealer in readymade clothing.
He lived in the second story.
The fourth and fifth tenements were owned l,v
Ralph c. Johnson. The first was occupied below
by y. j. +. lnsraham agent for the Singer sewing
Machine company, Mr. Rockwell, dealer in organs
and pianos, and Mr.. Fred W. Pote agent for the
International Express Company. In the second sto-
~ We're the dress making rooms Of Mrs John
Sleeper and Miss Thompson. In the upper story
was old Phoenix Hall, occupied lay Thomas H.
Marshall Post, G. \. r. The first floor Of the
other tenement was occupied by Mr.. William NJ
Priest, manufacturer of clothing. and the upper
portion by -\bner q. Gilmore, saloon.
The sixth tenement was owned by the j. Y. Me
Clintock estate, and occupied the first floor l,y
Charles \. Black, dealer in stoves and tin ware,
Garter X Co., ship builders, had an office above
In the upper story was the lodge room OF silver
Cross lodge, Knights of Pythias
THE WORK OF TIE FLAMES
When the ircmcn got to work it was generally
believed that the fire would he confined to the
building in which it originated, in view of the
facts that the adjoining roofs were slated, that
substantial brick walls divided the tcncmcnts, ana
that very little air WAS stirring. An iminens,
volume of black smoke arose from the burning,
building and vert almost straight ul,, and later
when the flames burst forth ana fiery sparks
mingled with the smoke and steam the sight was a
grand although sad one and the latter especially
when it began to be unprecedented that the progress
of the flames could not be stayed. When the fire
got into the roof of the Andrews store it threa tened
the wooden Wells building adjoining, and that
would almost certainly have carried with it the
store of Mr.. IIcrvey, which is also Of wood The
roofs of these buildings were promptly wet down
however, and men stationed on them with water ii,
pals. The wooden cutters in the rear were now
getting in their fatal work. and the height Of the
block on that side rendered it difficult to meet thi-
danger The flames made their way under the
States from these cutters into the atic, and thus
what might otherwise have been protection really
protected the fire in its progress As soon aS il
was seen that the whole block was in danger the
tenants packed and moved out their goods saving
the larger portion in good condition. Friends Of
the different parties lent their aid, and truck teams
saved to places of safety.
The engines were not long in cXhaustiny til.
reservoirs from which they were PLAYING and
changed positions No. coming down + III,
corner of High and Spring streets and No. going
10 a reservoir i'll the Court House yard. Engineer
Mcdonald teleSraphed to Scarsport for aid and
the fire alarm was sounded there but il wa.
found the eear>port engine was not needed and i,
was not sent over. Quite a Number of Searspo,1
people drove over, however. The hottest fire wa,
when the flames got into Grand Army hall and rs
they worked down the whole interior of the tw,
tcnements seemed to be at a white heat The old
Anger mouse opposite WAS threatened at this tim,
ana ha't to be wet down. When nearly burned on,
the division wall. including the chimney fell to
""iu the Peavey building with tremendou,
crash, and it was feared would carry the wall Of
the latter structure with ii, bat no great ,,may,
was 'ohc. For Il long lime the corner store OF
ehas' ~ Black stood apparently unsctthell, hui
Wheh once the flames took hold of it they mad,
speedy havoc. That the Peavey buii.ting wa,
saved is largely due to the exertions of Mr.. Cbas
L. Richards, who calling others to his all cu
OF the connecting cutters and prevented III,
names from spreading inside. This building suf
1eret less than any Of the others. All beyond il
are total wreck. The Hazeltine building adioin
ing Is reduced to shell and the roof of the An
drew building was completely destroyed. but tn,
fire did not get below the second story. The OK
tent of Mr.. Peavey's loss, other than damage h,
wafer was to the roof of the building in the rear
'hc front remaining intact. Later in the slay III.
front walls OF the johnson buildings were pullc,
INTO the street rs it WAS feared .hcv myht fan
during tie fire 4 wooden stable occupicd l.,
MI i1lest anu IN rear Of his place of business
was pulled over, and Mr.. W. c. Marshall had the
roof Of his stable near by wet down and me,
stationed to protect it from flying sparks. Al
though it seemed very calm there were occasiona
currents of air which carried cindcrs hither an,
thitheri one falling on Dunbar's stable Other
dropped in rear of buildings on the west side o
High street. but MI. Joseph Williamson had mel
stationed Tor the protection of his property am,
the sparks were cNiinguished as they fell
The safe of M lngraham was not removed, bu
an Old safe belonging to the johnson estate wa.
taken out and left on the sidewalk in front of Tho
building where it continued to smoke all dav sun
day, the lining having taken fire. |! would har,il,
be considered safe safe. Mr., Ingrahams SAT,
was buried in the ruins in the cellar
The knights of Pythias saved everything, cyei
to the paper under the carpet
LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
The loss on the block is estimated at about s i
600 and ON the various stocks $1,000 total loss o
100000 although it may exceed that. Mark An
'ircws had $40 coo insurance on his stock and 81.
900 on the building. Pattce 4 Patterson had tn,
and Heating 4 Field $1,000 on the stock. kcatip.
n Flctt had the llazetine store S2oo0: billiard f.,
blcs OF IIaugh & Carter, $500; Peavey buil,lin,
$1,000; stock S3,ooO; W. NJ. Priest 81 $50; Knight,
of Pythas $3.50; New England Organ Comuon,
$500 Pattce Il Patterson had 81 900 on Chas
n. Blacks stock and 500 on Priests machines
The tcncincnts of II. c. johnson valued Mt alou
SsGoa, were insured in the Washington and Bowl
stoh Insurance Companies, of Boston, but 4,
what amount we are not informed The Me
CIhtOck store. worth about 81 200 was a tot;
loss and uninsured. The Grand Army Post ba,
no Insurance and lost most of their apparatus
laugh 4 Carter, and Abner q. Gilmore had no i'm
surance. The Singer Sewing Machine Co. was in
slired away and Chas. \. Blacks loss far exceed,
the insurance.
me most distressing loss was to Mrs. .Johi
sleeper anu Miss Thompson, dress makers The,
lost sewing machines, patterns, dress goods an,
garments for customers, on which there was no in
surlnce.
A former fire in this locality was attended witt
loss OF life, and fortunately this was not repeated
On the 18th of November 1923, at about O'Clock
IN the morning, fire broke out in the large tavern
house of Samuel jackson, which stood where tho
runs OF Phoenix Row now stand. Williamson saws
"A part of the building was being ishcd and tn,
hames spread through the shingles and scattered
combustihes with such rapidity that but little was
saved. The rescue of an amiable and accomplish
ed daughter of Mr.. Jackson named Mary Eleanor
who was in bed in the upper story, was impossible
and she persisted by suffocation." Miss Jackson
had been away from home and it was not known
H,nA chr l..